The child he never wanted
by AniZH
Summary: Christopher West doesn't want a child but he's married and having one is the natural next step, so he agrees to have one. His daughter Jade turns out to be an especially difficult child.
Hello!
This one shot is about Jade and her father. It kind of goes with my one shot 'Jade's childhood' though you definitely can read this without reading that. If you don't know it though, I feel like I should already say that Thomas (the father of Jade's little brother) cheated on her mother. He didn't directly do anything to Jade, even if it could sound like that in this one shot. Other than that... While I had HA have a junior high Jade went to in that other one shot, I only have given it a high school here.  
What else? Yes, I've only got this idea because of Invader Johnny who asked me to do something else which I sadly wasn't able to do. But the request gave me this idea and therefore: Thank you very much!  
Now, I wish everyone fun reading this. :)  
P.s. Almost forgot: Beck is part of this one shot as Jade's boyfriend and husband-to-be. But the relationship between Jade and her father is definitely what this one shot is about. Sorry though if you don't like Bade.

* * *

Christopher doesn't actually want a child but when Caitlyn starts talking about having one, he agrees. After all, you're supposed to want a child. You're supposed to have a family.

Caitlyn constantly annoys him with all the doctor's appointments. The child isn't even born yet but she already claims he doesn't take care of it. There is nothing to take care of yet.

It gets worse though when the baby is there. He works hard to provide for it and barely sees it awake as he's at work at day and sleeping at night. Caitlyn tells him he should take care of the baby or at least play with it. But when he's home on the weekends and the baby is awake, he doesn't even know what to do with it. It's not like small children can actually play. He will do more with it, he knows it. He will play ball or something with it as soon as it can.

But it's just so small and easy to break and Caitlyn is so much better with all of it, so he leaves it at that.

o

o

He feels awful. He has this headache. He has had it ever since his former boss has told him he would have to let him go.

Today is the first day, he usually would be at work but isn't anymore. He's still in bed. Caitlyn has gone to work hours before when the sun has just risen. He has stayed in bed and has easily fallen asleep again.

But he is woken up now by a clear voice and a small finger poking his arm that hangs out of bed: "Daddy?"

He sees their two-year-old daughter standing in front of him, still in her pajamas. Of course in her pajamas, because she's supposed to be asleep. He wonders how she even got here. She sleeps in a crib. Christopher hasn't known she was able to get out of it herself.

"Go back to bed," he tells her in any case because he's still tired and with this awful headache... He almost wishes Caitlyn would've dropped the girl off with her parents like she usually does. She has told him she wouldn't need to do that anymore if he is home anyway. The thought of that makes his headache grow stronger.

"Not sleepy anymore," she says and for a minute, he doesn't know what to do. In the end, he decides: "Then go play."

The little girl watches him for another while, then she says: "Okay." And she runs away, probably back to her room.

He sighs and closes his eyes again.

He doesn't know if he has fallen asleep again or not. It feels like no time has passed at all when the two-year-old is back. "Daddy? Hungry."

He sighs another time. He still doesn't feel like getting up. And he remembers that Caitlyn has told him she would make some good things for breakfast for them and leave them ready in the kitchen. Well... If the girl is able to get out of her crib alone... She just has to grab the food and can eat it. She doesn't get fed anymore anyway. At least, there is enough food that she eats on her own.

So, he says: "Go into the kitchen and see if there's something to eat."

She nods and leaves the room again and he closes his eyes. She will come back if she doesn't find anything. He can still get up then and help her. But his headache is making him sick by now and the thought that he would usually long be up for work, no matter how sick, somehow makes it worse and worse.

The next thing he remembers is Caitlyn, standing in front of the bed, Jade in her arms, and screaming at him: "Are you kidding me? You were supposed to take care of her! She was alone in the kitchen just now! We're lucky that she went for the fridge and not some cupboard. She could've drunken the cleaning products! And you are still sleeping! Have you been up at all? What could've happened if I didn't decide to come home for lunch?"

He tells her he feels sick. He tells her nothing has happened. Jade is obviously okay, though she starts crying now, hearing her parents scream at each other. But Jade would have never been so dumb to drink cleaning products. Why should she? It's ridiculous. And even if some children do that... Jade obviously didn't.

They fight for a few nights and she doesn't leave Jade alone with him after that. Instead, she always brings her to her parents before she goes to work like she has always done before.

He somehow is glad to not have the girl around him all the time because he still doesn't know what to do with such a small child. He feels useless at the same time though. He's relieved when he finally gets another job.

o

o

Barely a year later, Caitlyn tells him she will move out with Jade and wants a divorce. He isn't surprised and he doesn't fight it. He knows it's long over. He lets her take everything she needs from the apartment and because it's too expensive for him on his own, he moves out only shortly after.

He barely sees Jade for a while but then Caitlyn comes visiting him with her. He still doesn't really know what to do with the little girl. But Caitlyn always brings some toys and Jade tries to engage him from time to time in her games. He tries.

She turns four and Caitlyn starts leaving her every other Saturday alone with him for a few hours. He takes her with him to his parents who are so much better with her. They always eat at his parents' or at some fast food place every child likes.

Children also likes watching TV and there is this show that's on at Saturday which she likes. He always puts it on. It's something she's happy with. Also, he can get work done during it. His boss wants him to do way too much paper work – and he just has to do it. He can't risk loosing his job. Even with it he can't pay full child support.

So, he sits on the desk in the small main room of his apartment, listening to the second episode of Jade's series starting, when Jade suddenly asks: "Can we play something, Daddy?"

He shortly glances to her. She sits on the couch and watches him with big eyes.

She has brought a ball from her mother. She truly is old enough to play ball. He does want to do that with her but... he has to get through this paper work.

"Later," he therefore says. She will still stay for two more hours.

"Why not now?" Jade asks.

But work has to come first. He has to do this first and then he can play with her. Everything else would be stupid.

"Later. I promise," he says before he gets back to work. But it takes longer than expected. Before he gets done, the door bell rings and Caitlyn is there to get Jade. Jade doesn't say another word as she leaves.

o

o

Jade is five when she sleeps over for the first time. She has to sleep on the couch as there is no more room in his place.

The next morning, she wakes him up.

"Dad, I'm hungry," she says.

He's tired and turns around. She raises her voice slightly as she says: "Mom said you have to make me breakfast."

He groans. Yes, of course Caitlyn has told Jade to insist on breakfast. She obviously can't forget that one day over three years ago though absolutely nothing bad had happened. And Jade is even older now. Nothing bad will happen if she gets some food out of the fridge on her own.

However, he gives in. He stands up, pulls some random clothes on and goes into the kitchen with her.

He doesn't have much food at home. He went out with Jade for dinner again. He considers also going out for breakfast but he also likes to stay in, to start the day slow and not directly have to deal with strangers.

"Sit down. I'll make something up," he says and she obeys him, sits down at the table, as he starts cooking eggs.

They only talk again when he gives her the plate with the eggs and some bread while he only has a cup of coffee in front of him. It's too early for him to eat.

Jade looks at her plate critically. "I don't like eggs."

And she honestly just remembered that? He wouldn't have made them at all if she had said so earlier.

He's sure she's difficult on purpose. He doesn't know why. But she also made a big deal out of going to sleep the night before, complained about everything, mainly about the couch being uncomfortable though she's always okay sitting on it, the room itself being too cold although it was fine, and him not reading the stupid story she had brought with her the right way. He didn't finish reading it and put on the TV instead – he himself was still wide awake after all. Jade then complained about it being too loud but of course she was able to sleep anyway.

"I don't have anything else in the house. If you are hungry, you will eat them," he tells her because if you're hungry, you shouldn't be picky, just like you can sleep anywhere and under any circumstances if you're really tired.

"I will throw up," Jade says.

He answers: "Don't be stupid! Try them. They are good."

She glares at him for a moment before she finally starts eating. He takes a sip from his coffee and closes his eyes for a while. He's still tired but now he's up. He could play a little with Jade. He has promised her yesterday that they would build a fort together today. He hasn't done that for a long time. But it could be fun, he guesses. He also loved it as a child.

Suddenly, he hears gagging. He opens his eyes just in time to see Jade turn to the side and suddenly throwing up next to her on the floor.

He jumps on his feet horrified. "Jade!"

She breathes heavily and has tears in her eyes as she looks up to him. With a clear voice, she states: "I told you I will throw up."

She can't be serious! Did she just throw up on purpose? To proof something to him?

"How stupid are you? I can't believe you," he says. "You will have to clean this up."

"I won't," she declares and for a moment he feels like slapping her but he can't do that. He knows that that isn't right.

Instead he grabs her arm so firmly, it makes her screech, and pulls her up her feet and pushes her into the direction of the couch. "Then get away. And don't think you will get anything else to eat!"

She wipes her mouth as she obeys, going over to the couch, and he starts to clean up on his own. She has to be punished for this. But he doesn't know how. Well, he will have to tell her mother about this. She will deal with it. She knows how to handle this child. Hopefully.

She starts watching TV silently and only speaks again after he has cleaned everything up, softly: "I'm sorry, Daddy. I didn't mean to throw up. Eggs always make me do that."

"You could have told me that. Instead you had to barf all over my kitchen. I'm glad that your mother will be pick you up soon." Because he is. He doesn't know how to handle this.

He looks over to her and she looks back with those wide eyes and he just has to leave. He leaves the apartment and goes for a walk.

He's sure she has thrown up on purpose. Otherwise, she could have just told him eggs make her throw up. Well... She has kind of warned him. But she hasn't said it like it always happened. On the other hand... She is only five. That could have been what she meant.

And she has told him she's sorry. And he remembers the look in her eye after he had said he's glad her mother will come for her soon. That sounds like he doesn't want her around. And yes, he may have problems if she's around too much. He doesn't know how to handle her. But somehow, she's still his little girl, she's still his daughter, and he loves her. He knows he has loved her ever since he first saw her, even if he has never known what to do with her. He may be glad every time her mother comes for her but he is also glad every time Jade comes over. And you can't tell a child you are glad if it isn't around, can you?

He feels a little sick and asks himself how to make it better. Well, she may still be hungry. He could take her out after all. Or maybe... He knows she loves ice cream, especially chocolate. She is a sweet tooth in general but especially over ice cream. He has noticed that at his parents' and whenever they have been out somewhere to eat where she was able to order ice cream.

He buys some now before he goes back. It's only when he's in front of his apartment that he suddenly thinks about the fact that Jade is five years old and from one second to the next he feels like suffocating because what if Jade has run off. Or what if with noone watching, she has done something stupid. He eerily sounds like Caitlyn in his own head and tells himself that Jade is smart enough, that nothing will have happened.

He is relieved nonetheless when he opens the door and sees Jade sitting on the couch exactly like he left her. She doesn't even look at him as he comes in, keeps her eyes on the TV.

He puts the ice cream in a bowl and the bowl on the coffee table in front of Jade, before he sits down on the couch with his coffee, also watching TV.

After a while, Jade takes the bowl and starts eating.

o

o

She doesn't stay a night after that. He hasn't told her mother about breakfast after all and doesn't know if Jade has. Caitlyn doesn't mention anything about it but also never again talks about Jade staying the night. He is somehow glad about it.

Today, he doesn't want her to come over at all but sure enough, Caitlyn brings her over like she always does.

Jade goes to school for a three months now and the last few times she has been over he has asked her a little about it. It's fascinating how you can already have a real conversation with the six-year-old. She even uses quite big words correctly and he likes it very much. She really is a smart one. He's sure she will go to college one day. Unlike him. She will have a good job one day. Unlike him.

He has just lost his job again. His boss has told him they had to let certain people go and they are so sorry but they had to keep the ones with the best training. As if he doesn't do good work despite not having gone to college!

He doesn't feel like taking care of the little girl while he's worried about money, how to feed himself for the next few weeks. Not to mention that he can't pay any child support until he finds another job.

But there she is. He instantly puts on the TV before he works through the vacancies in the newspaper.

Jade sits down on the couch, turning on the channel she likes. For a few minutes, it's just the TV, then she asks: "What's up?"

He looks up to see her watching him closely. She's too smart for her own good. Of course, she has noticed there's something wrong with him. But he won't talk to her about it. It will only worry her. And possibly she will think of him as a loser and if there's something he never wants his daughter to think about him it's that.

"Nothing. Watch your show," he therefore says, looking back down on the newspaper.

She doesn't stop watching him though as he notices out of the corner of his eye. And after a while she clearly states: "I want to know what happened."

It almost sounds like a command and why does she have to be so difficult again?

"It's none of your business! Stop being annoying" he snaps, looking back at her. She returns the look without blinking and after a while, he stands up and goes into the bedroom.

She doesn't need to know about this. It's none of her business. She could have just accepted that with his first answer.

And yet, he is somehow a little sorry about snapping at her. Maybe, she has just been worried because he has been different. But it is none of her business that he has lost his job.

When he goes back into the main room, Jade still sits on the couch, watching TV. The newspaper is slightly moved however as if Jade looked at the page with the vacancies to see what he had looked at.

Her eyes don't move from the TV now as he gets back.

He takes a deep breath before he opens the freezer in his fridge. He has kept chocolate ice cream there for while and gives Jade some of it every now and then while they still always go to his parents or out for every other food. He now gets a big scoop of ice cream in a bowl and Jade may still not look at him but holds out her hands as soon as he gets close to her again. He puts the bowl in her hands, before he takes the newspaper and sits down at the dinner table.

They don't say another word to each other that day. He joins her in front of the TV after one hour and two hours later, her mother comes to pick her up.

o

o

As she gets older, she sometimes takes things for school with her and does them at his place while he works next to her. He has gotten another job and works even harder to keep this one. He still isn't able to pay full child support.

She is eight years old by now and truly a smart child. He sometimes asks her about school and she tells him about the things she learns. Caitlyn shows him some of her work sheets and she barely makes mistakes. He's really proud.

Sometimes, she comes after school now when he also has time. She takes the bus then, so her mother only has to pick her up. He has a car now which he needs for his job. Sometimes, he brings her home.

Today, it's a Saturday. She hasn't had school work with her today but they have visited his parents and then have watched TV at his apartment. They even have talked a little about the show that has been on and that both have considered awful.

Now, the door bell rings and they both get up and to the door. He expects Caitlyn because it's the time she has said to pick her up. But a young man stands in front of the door.

Before he can say anything, Jade asks with a dark voice: "What are you doing here?"

Apparently, she knows him.

"Your mother asked me to pick you up," he answers her before he turns to Christopher: "Hi. I'm Thomas."

They shake hands. "Christopher. Who exactly are you?" Why would Caitlyn ask someone to pick Jade up? This isn't her brother or anything.

It's Jade who answers, dryly: "It's Mom's new boyfriend. He lives with us."

"He does?" Christopher asks surprised. Caitlyn has moved in with someone? Without informing him? They are long divorced by now and Christopher honestly doesn't care about her. He himself has had dated a little here and there. But this means that Jade lives not only with her mother anymore. He feels like he should be informed about things like that.

He looks to Jade who practically glares at Thomas. She obviously hates him.

"I only moved in a week ago," Thomas says. "But I thought you already knew."

Well, he hasn't known.

"Is Mom not home?" Jade suddenly asks.

Thomas answers: "She's still at work. But she asked me to pick you up."

"She can pick me up later. Or tomorrow," Jade decides, crossing her arms in front of her body.

Christopher is surprised. Jade hasn't stayed the night ever since three years ealier when she has thrown up his breakfast. But he sees how she looks at Thomas and finally turns back to him as well: "She can stay here for the night. I'll text Caitlyn."

Thomas looks at them for a moment before he shrugs. "Okay."

Christopher closes the door again and looks at Jade: "Is there something wrong with him?" Or why doesn't she even want to go with him? Her mother will get back from work later today. She wouldn't have to be alone with him for too long.

Jade looks into his eyes for second before she shrugs and goes back to the couch: "I don't trust him."

She doesn't complain tonight as she sleeps on the couch in one of his old t-shirts after they have watched TV for a long time. The next morning, they eat breakfast in a small café close-by.

He mother comes to pick her up only shortly after.

"Why haven't you told me about Thomas?" he asks her while Jade is putting on her shoes and jacket again.

"We are divorced for a long time, Christopher. I don't know why I should tell you about him," Caitlyn answers.

"But he moved into the same apartment my daughter lives in. You should tell me about stuff like that," he says.

Jade passes by him out of the apartment but then turns back, narrowing her eyes. "It's really none of your business, Dad." Honestly? She is the one who doesn't trust this Thomas guy! But of course she takes her mother's side when he tries to look out for her.

"I'll come by again in two weeks," she says and with that, she is gone.

o

o

She's nine years old when he stops in his tracks as he sees her in front of his door.

He just stares at her as she goes in.

"What's that?" he finally asks, closing the door behind her.

"What?" she asks back in a harsh tone which he doesn't understand because he is the one who should be harsh now.

"Your hair!" he says. Her hair that's suddenly very much black instead of its natural brown.

Jade shrugs. "I've decided to dye it."

"You can't just do that!" he tells her.

She turns away from him. "I don't care." She goes further into the apartment, turns on the TV and makes herself at home on the couch.

He stares at her for a while. She looks like a mess with that hair. She looks much paler and somehow older. Not like his nine-year-old girl anymore.

But he takes a deep breath. He knows this isn't her fault. Her mother must have allowed it. And she has probably only gotten this crazy idea because of the mess at home.

Caitlyn has actually gotten pregnant with Thomas and has then thrown him out. Christopher doesn't really know what has happened because nobody tells him anything but as it seems, Jade was right in not trusting him. Christopher at least can't imagine Caitlyn throwing him out because of nothing. She and Christopher have fought for a long time until she has divorced him. She and Thomas haven't had that much time to fight.

Now, she has a second child and lives alone with it and Jade.

He can understand if Jade tries to get attention this way or whatever child psychology calls stuff like this. He will have to talk to Caitlyn about it before Jade does worse.

So, as soon as Caitlyn comes to pick Jade up, alone without her new baby, Christopher asks her: "You've allowed her to dye her hair black?"

Jade leaves his apartment and cuts through before her mother can answer: "It was my decision."

Caitlyn looks shortly over to her, then back to him. "She begged me for it. And she does look beautiful either way."

He huffs. She doesn't. "She's only nine years old." You don't allow a child to dye its hair.

Jade rolls her eyes however and decides: "Let's go, Mom."

o

o

Two years later, he looses his job again but finds another one soon enough. And in the diner close to his new work place, where he always eats lunch, there works a beautiful woman named Stephanie.

They start talking and not much later he asks her for a date. She accepts instantly and from then on, everything goes quite quickly.

She is a great woman who makes him feel relaxed in a way he hasn't for a long time. They go on a walk with her puppy one time when they already tell each other their first I Love You's. It's after that that Christopher thinks she should introduce her to Jade. He talks to Stephanie about it first and then tells Jade the next time they see each other: "I want you to meet my new girlfriend next week. On Saturday."

It's a Friday afternoon and they have met for dinner in a small diner. He has to work through the weekend but has time the next and hopes Jade has time as well.

Jade shortly looks at him before she shrugs: "Fine."

He isn't sure he has told her about Stephanie before. He would've expected questions either way. On the other hand... Jade isn't a person to ask many questions. She isn't a person to say much at all – much like him actually.

"You'll come over?" he makes sure.

"I will," she answers.

Stephanie stays over from Friday to Saturday and it's in the afternoon that the door bell rings.

Jade comes in and Stephanie is instantly with her and shakes her hand: "So, you're Jade? I'm Stephanie."

Her puppy, Billy, is also over because it can't stay alone a whole night, and promptly jumps up Jade's leg.

Jade glares down at it: "Get off!"

"Oh, I'm sorry about that," Stephanie says and pulls the dog back a little bit. Christopher feels how nervous she is. She has also talked about it before. She wants to make a good first impression. He isn't worried about her. More about Jade, to be honest.

"It's annoying," Jade says and those are truly the first words she chose to say to Stephanie: calling her dog annoying.

Stephanie doesn't look hurt, just worried: "Well... It's still so little."

Jade doesn't say anything more about it but goes over to the couch and sits down.

Stephanie glances to Christopher who chooses to keep the converation going: "How was school this week?"

"Fine," Jade answers as he also sits down on the couch. Stephanie follows suit. "I got an A on my English project."

Of course, she has. She is a bright child.

Stephanie smiles. "That's wonderful. What was is about?"

Jade doesn't give a long answer but she does give an answer.

They talk for half an hour all in all or even a little longer before Stephanie says she will leave with Billy. They agreed on that beforehand. Stephanie has suggested it and has said it would probably be smart to not force Jade to spend a really long time with her on the day they meet for the first time.

After she has left, he turns to Jade again. Jade doesn't look back though but down on her hands where she scrapes off some nail polish with her fingers (whenever her mother has allowed her nail polish anyway – she's still only eleven years old; though at least she has her natural hair color back for a while already).

"What do you think?" he finally asks when she doesn't say anything. It's strangely important to him what she thinks. But he also remembers Thomas and how she has said from the beginning on that she doesn't trust him, and how obviously she was right with that.

Jade shrugs. "She's fine."

Well, she has to mean that. She doesn't sound excited but she's also not lying. That's another things where she is much like him: She is honest, brutally so. Like she has outright told Thomas she wouldn't go home with him. That's how she works.

And suddenly, Jade looks up and him right in the eye: "Do you love her?"

He's surprised because of the question but truthfully answers: "I do."

She nods and quickly looks away again, suddenly grabs the remote control. "I'm gonna watch TV."

o

o

Stephanie and he celebrate Thanksgiving together a year later. They celebrate at Stephanie's parents' house with both their whole families. Jade comes as well. Caitlyn has thought about it for a long time but has finally agreed while she would herself celebrate together with her son and his father.

They eat a buffet because they are many people and wouldn't all fit around any dinner table. But everyone has a good time. And Christopher tries to talk to everyone, especially out of Stephanie's family. They may have already talked about marriage. He's sure she is the one he wants to spend the rest of his life with. It's a plus that they have already talked about family planning and she has assured him she doesn't want a child though she tries to have a good relationship with Jade which isn't going all that well as she is especially difficult recently. He may love Jade but he also doesn't want another child – he hasn't wanted the first one after all.

So, Stephanie could very well be the perfect woman for him. And he wants to be on good terms with her family, just like she wants to be with his.

Christopher's sister wants to leave after two hours as she has had a long day already but she can't find her son who is thirteen now. "Where is Benjamin?" she asks around and they all start looking around in the main room when Christopher catches a glance of Jade who leans against some wall and seems almost amused because of all the excitement.

He has a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. He has seen the two talk earlier. "Jade?"

She looks up at him and smirks. "I would look in the basement."

"You're not serious!" he tells her and his sister has also heard them and runs to go look. He follows her. The door to the basement is locked but as soon as they call out for him, Benjamin starts knocking on the other side of the door. They unlock the door and there he is. And he claims he has been there for over half an hour!

And that's enough! She can't do this. She can't do this and then smirk like she did!

He's embarrassed thinking about what Stephanie and her family thinks about him with a daughter like that but this is about even more. This is about Jade's behaviour that keeps getting worse and worse. He feels like he must have expected something like this.

She also dresses worse every time she comes over. Sometimes, she almost looks like she's in some cult which is horrible at every age but particularly as she's only twelve years old. She's still a child but behaves like she's well in her teens. She barely talks and if she does, it's mostly harsh and mean, particularly to Stephanie who tries so hard.

She has walked out several times without a word after Christopher has called her out on it, disappearing to who knows where because every now and then he has called Caitlyn to make sure she was okay but she has never gotten back right away.

Now, she has locked her cousin in the basement! She goes down a really dark road and he knows he has to show her consequences for it. That's why he calls the police.

Stephanie tells him he should just let it go while his sister screams at Jade and his parents apologize to Stephanie's family.

Two officers come and he explains the situation and they agree to have a talk with Jade to set her straight.

They go into an extra room and Christopher joins them. Jade doesn't say a word. She hasn't said one since they have gotten her cousin out of the basement, since his sister has started screaming at her. She sits there with her arms crossed and Christopher isn't sure if she even listens to the police officers.

After they are gone again, Stephanie tells him she has called Caitlyn to pick Jade up as everyone is angry anyway and she doesn't think it is good for Jade. He also thinks it's the best. Initially, Jade has been supposed to stay the night at the house with them.

Caitlyn comes soon, her son in her arms. Jade shortly touches him as she leaves the house, still not saying a word – it's also not like anyone except Stephanie says good bye to her.

Christopher leaves the house as well. Caitlyn needs to know about this and he knows that Stephanie has just told her to pick Jade up when she has called her.

Before Caitlyn can ask now, Christopher says: "Your daughter locked her cousin in the basement."

Caitlyn looks shocked, glances to Jade who avoids her eye, then: "I will talk to her."

"Oh, we've done that," he answers. "And the police has done it as well." Obviously, talking doesn't do anything anymore. Though he does hope the officers had some sort of impact on her.

"The police?"

"Yes. I called them to let her know what happens in this world if you behave like that," he answers. So she knows what will happen if she goes further down this road.

Caitlyn seems totally appalled. "You have to be kidding me. You called the police on your own daughter?"

"She locked her cousin in the basement," he repeats himself. She can't seriously be mad at him for that, can she? Well, of course she is. She is the reason Jade is the way she is.

Caitlyn shakes her head judgingly and then puts her arm around Jade. "Let's go."

Christopher gets a text from her two hours later after he has apologized extensively to everyone and almost everyone has gone home. It reads: "She may have done something wrong but you should know that Benjamin has called her a freak and much worse before she did it."

He doesn't understand. She hasn't said anything about it. She obviously still shouldn't have done it but if it's true... Benjamin has claimed Jade has done it for fun as far as he knows. But it would be a little different then, wouldn't it be?

She comes over again two weeks later, into his apartment. Stephanie and he live together for one and a half months now but she has decided to go to one of her friends with the dog, so he could have some time alone with Jade after the incident.

Jade doesn't even greet him when she comes in after he opens the door for her. He also isn't one for small talk, so he gets right into it, knows it's on both of their minds anyway: "Has Benjamin really called you bad names?"

"He has," Jade answers, slowly turning to him and looking him directly into his eye.

"Why?" Why should he? Benjamin has never been anything but nice. He is a good boy, slowly growing into a fine young man.

Jade shrugs. "You should ask him that."

He considers that for a moment. Yes, she wouldn't necessarily know why if Benjamin would have been the one to have started this.

"Why haven't you told us that right after we got Benjamin out?" Or ealier, really. He could've called Benjamin out on it before. But... Expecially after. If Jade would have told him that, he probably wouldn't have called the police on her because the situation would have just been different.

Jade shrugs again. "Because you wouldn't have listened."

Christopher has to swallow at that. He tries to remember how that afternoon went. His sister has started screaming at Jade right away and then he has called the police. He hasn't exactly tried talking to Jade himself.

Anyway... "It was still wrong to do that to him."

"Nothing happened," Jade says and that's horrible. Benjamin had still been locked in that basement for over half an hour without knowing when he finally would get out. You don't do that to a person, smirk afterwards and claim nothing happened!

"You're unbelieveable! You should know the police could've arrested you for that."

Jade's answer is cold. "And you should know that I'm only here because Mom told me to come here."

She turns around, goes to the couch and puts on the TV. He watches her for several minutes while she ignores him. She wouldn't even have come back... He feels a little sick. It does hurt him if he has to be honest.

o

o

Stephanie and he marry and Jade actually comes to the wedding as well. She is thirteen now and even wears a very beautiful dress.

The wedding isn't really big and Jade sits by herself or with her grandparents the whole time. At one point, Christopher sees Benjamin standing with her. She looks around with absolutely cold eyes while he watches her with a smirk and says something.

He narrows his eyes and gets closer, and as soon as Benjamin sees him, he hurries away.

Christopher hasn't forgotten about Thanksgiving last year. He told his sister afterwards what supposedly had gone down before between their children but his sister said it was a stupid excuse. The next time they talked, she told him she had spoken with her son another time and he had absolutely denied saying anything bad to Jade. He had just asked her about school when she suddenly had pushed him into the basement.

Well, Christopher thinks now as Jade's and his eyes meet, at least his daughter is honest about the way she behaves.

o

o

Caitlyn sends him an e-mail first with a link to some performance arts high school. She calls an hour later to talk to him about it. Apparently, Jade wants to apply there. She has done plays in school before and seemingly has loved it. She also sings and has a beautiful voice, Caitlyn says, and also loves writing and would really like to learn more about it.

But she can't be serious. This is ridiculous! Does Jade suddenly want to be an artist, or what? He has never heard about this before.

Of course Caitlyn mainly calls him for money. With everything the students there need, Hollywood Arts is more expensive than a normal high school. But for what? It won't help for her future! No, he won't pay for it. He tells her that and Jade a week later as well when she asks him – which makes Jade leave in an instant, slamming the front foor behind her.

He still doesn't pay full child support as he's afraid he will loose his job again soon. Stephanie tells him she can help out either way but this shouldn't be her place to put money into. The money he still has left, he now puts aside, so he can pay the money he pays regularly also if he looses his job again. And if he can keep it, he can pay for Jade's college with that money – and she has to go to college so she can get a good job unlike him. Caitlyn doesn't need more money from him. She obviously manages fine at the moment.

She doesn't need to pay for this stupid performance arts high school. Jade isn't supposed to be an artist. Besides that barely anyone makes it in that business, artists are just lazy and dumb people who take drugs and then say they're so creative when they have hallucinations. And they try to draw money out of people's pockets out of pity, standing at every street corner, begging for money in reality when they claim they earn it with making music or drawing a picture . Christopher doesn't want Jade anywhere near that.

Jade is so damn smart, has amazing grades, and is bright and hard working. She can achieve so much in her life. But not this way. He doesn't want her to be one of those lazy people who believe they are so deep and whatever, though they're just stupid.

But Caitlyn doesn't take his opinion into account. She allows Jade to audition for that pointless school and Jade actually gets in.

And he knows, that school will fill her head with stupid ideas, with so-called dreams. She will believe she can make it as an artist though barely anybody does, and she will neglect the important subjects. The subjects that will get her an actual job that will actually pay her money later in life. Great.

o

o

She's fifteen when she comes over and he's shocked about her appaerance once again.

She's actually pierced now.

"You're not serious," he says while he closes the door behind her.

"Nice to see you again, too, father," she answers sarcastically as she turns back around to him.

"Are those real?" he asks, still taking in her appearance.

"They are," she says and asks with a smirk though she has to know the answer by his expression: "Do you like them?"

He doesn't even dignify that with an answer. "Your mother has allowed this?"

Jade rolls her eyes. "She hasn't."

And he has to say it: "You look like a homeless or worse. Is that really the impression you want to give people of yourself?"

Jade practically glares at him. "What if I do?"

She can't be serious! But before he can say anything else, Stephanie comes out of the bathroom and says with a smile: "Jade. Nice to see you again."

"Yeah, hi," Jade answers uninterested.

Stephanie also stops in her tracks for a second as she can see the piercings, then she smiles again: "You look different."

"She looks horrible," Christopher says and Stephanie shoots a warning look in his direction. She doesn't like it if he says his opinion so openly to Jade – especially if it's about her and negative. She has also scolded him a little after he has told Jade he thought Hollywood Arts was pointless.

But Stephanie keeps her voice happy: "Oh, come on. I think it's interesting."

Jade rolls her eyes again. "Whatever. I'm hungry."

"Yeah, come in. Eat something," Stephanie says. She recently has always made food when Jade has come over.

Jade moves further inside and sits down on the dinner table.

But Christopher knows he hasn't said the last about this. She can't run around like this. What will people think of her?

o

o

"I want you to come to this."

He has driven Jade home. They just pulled in her mother's drive-way when Jade suddenly pulls the flyer out of her back pocket.

He takes a look at it. It's for a play. Well Wishes.

She has invited him to two plays before. One when she was ten while he had to work. Another one when she had been in her first musical at Hollywood Arts which he didn't want to support at all.

He also doesn't feel like going to this at all. Jade has to know that.

"You have a role in this?" he asks anyway but she shakes her head: "I wrote it and will direct it. It's entirely my own. I want you to come."

"Why?" he asks. She knows what he thinks about her stupid dreams or what she calls them, what he thinks about art.

"Because I do," she says, looking him dead in the eye. "Will you come?"

He looks back and finally decides: "I'll think about it."

She nods, seemingly satisfied, and leaves the car. It's that look she gave him that makes him consider.

Stephanie is the one who tells him he really should go, that it will bring him closer to Jade. He knows they aren't particularly close but he also knows this could very well drive them further apart. It's more than likely that he won't like what he sees because art is just pointless, and he will honestly tell Jade so. Stephanie wants him to lie and say it's great either way. That's apparently what you're supposed to do with your child. But what does she know? He won't lie to his daughter.

The thing is... He doesn't have to in the end. He watches the play and it does something to him. He has never experienced that before. Maybe, it's because he knows Jade has written and directed this. But he definitely is... touched. In the end, he can't help but seeing Jade instead of the main character. He doesn't know if that's supposed to happen. It possibly makes him feel a little uncomfortable but it weirdly also makes him feel a lot of other things and he understands that that's what art is supposed to do. And Jade can do that. Not only to him but obviously to other people as well, judging by the applause she receives in the end. She is not only smart, she's also good at this.

He only slowly goes down to her in the end. She waits for him.

"Dad," she says and he answers: "Jade."

He thinks about what to say. This isn't your normal situation. He doesn't like art. He doesn't think much of it. But he does think much of this play, of her play. How do you say that?

Suddenly, the girl next to her bursts out: "Just say whether you liked it or not."

He slightly raises his eyebrows. Whoever she is. "Friend of yours?"

He doesn't know much about Jade's friends. She has never mentioned any friend before Hollywood Arts and only barely any since. He has met her boyfriend as he has come over with her two times. He seems to be a nice boy though he also aspires to be an artist. And he has seen the girl who has played the main role today as he has dropped Jade of at her house one time after she has been at his place for a few hours. The red-haired girl has stood in the driveway of her parents' house and has waved excitedly at him.

If Jade talks about other people in school, she mainly mentions Beck and otherwise just says "they" or something, without saying anyone's name.

Now, Jade also just shrugs. "Eh."

Well, whoever that girl is then. But Jade already asks: "So, my play?"

He answers as truthfully as possible, still not having all the words for it: "I thought it was excellent."

He's sure to see something light up in Jade's eyes and she says: "Thanks. Anything else?"

He doesn't know what else. Though he looks at her now again and... what a brilliant girl she really is! She can even make art beautiful in a way he has never appreciated before. She can surely make it in this world. If she just wouldn't give off such a bad impression...

He has to ask, having gotten the prompt: "Would you please take that jewelry out of your face?"

"No," Jade answers defiantly and for a second he consders argueing but he has tried to explain it again and again, so he decides to go.

o

o

He doesn't go to another play at her high school but he also doesn't get invited to one. Soon enough, graduation is close by.

It's a week before that that Jade brings Beck along with her again and tells him and Stephanie that they have gotten engaged. He's slightly surprised but Beck really seems like a good person and the thing is that Christopher sees that Jade really loves him. They may be young but even if it breaks apart some day... as long as she's happy until then... She does seem weirdly happy with him.

And then, there's graduation. Christopher's so proud as Jade walks up the stage and gets her diploma. He suddenly remembers the baby in her mother's arms shortly after her birth. Now, she's all grown up, graduating from high school, even engaged to a young man. She has gotten into a good college with her amazing grades. Of course, he's proud.

o

o

She has dropped out of college and he doesn't know what to think about that but she is now starring in a Broadway musical and he knows that's big.

He can't make the opening night of the musical but flies over to New York with Stephanie a week later to watch it. He realizes it's the first time he ever hears Jade sing. It doesn't sound like the singers on the radio or in TV. It sounds better, at least for him.

They eat breakfast with Jade the next morning in the hotel, Stephanie and he got into for the night.

"You've done such a good job!" Stephanie instantly says when they see each other and Christopher has to agree: "You truly have."

"Thanks," Jade says and it sounds earnest.

"How is it?" Stephanie asks. "How is everyone?"

Jade still isn't one to give long answer but they do have a talk over breakfast, she does tell them about working on the musical.

o

o

A year later, she and Beck want to marry in LA.

When they are in LA for a weekend, she comes over for two hours, telling them about their wedding plans, when and where everyone will meet, how everything will work.

She's on her way out again, while Stephanie has already gone to work, when she suddenly turns back to him and asks out of nowhere: "Will you walk me down the aisle?"

He hasn't thought about that yet. He hasn't thought about the fact that someone would or could walk her down the aisle. But he is her father. Of course, he wants to do that.

"Of course," he therefore says and she shrugs: "You don't have to."

For a moment, he considers that she doesn't want him to. But she wouldn't have asked him out of tradition or something. She only would've asked him if she wanted it. And why shouldn't he want that? Why shouldn't he want to walk her down the aisle?

"I will," he says with a firm voice and she nods: "Fine."

She's about to go again when he says: "Jade."

She turns back around another time and they look each other in the eye.

Could she have possibly believed him not to want to walk her down the aisle? Really? But suddenly, he also doesn't see what could led her to believe he would want to do it. They have never been that close after all. She is still his daughter however. He loves her and he is so damn proud of her.

But has he ever told her that? He remembers how often he has told her how pointless and stupid artists are, how he has barely praised her for her good grades or for anything, even if he has asked for them and she has told him about it. But he's proud and she deserves to know that. She deserves to know that now.

"I'm really proud of the woman you've become."

The look in her eyes changes ever so slightly as she raises her eyebrows and asks with an almost soft voice: "You are?"

"I am," he answers and he also isn't sure if she has ever said the following but she just has to know, hasn't she? He is her father after all. "And you know that I love you, right?"

Jade looks at him for a long moment before she nods: "I know."

And suddenly, she comes back to him and actually hugs him. They haven't hugged ever since she was really little. He sometimes hold her in his arms when she had been just a baby. Sometimes, he cought her when she had just learned to walk. But they haven't hugged ever since. It feels strange and oddly comforting at the same time.

Their relationship never will be especially easy or ever include much touching or lovely words but he tries harder from then on, tries to show her more support. Because he does remember the change in her eyes the moment he told her he's proud. He does remember her play from years ago. He does remember the way, Jade has always looked at him. And he finally understands it all now.

And it's strange that this child that he has never really wanted, that has become an artist which he has never respected, that has been so difficult at times, has somehow become the most precious thing in his life without him noticing. He notices now as the grown woman hugs him tight. The grown woman that doesn't need to say it back but that of course loves him too, despite everything. That grown woman that's beautiful and bright and strong and that he can luckily call his daughter.


End file.
